As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

Why do birds sing?

By Lipu & Alice Paone

When we talk about birdsong, we
cannot simply refer to a single "voice". It is a great chorus of
complex sounds, it is a real language in itself. The dry "teak" of a
sparrow, the plaintive "gheck gheck gheck" of a woodpecker, the
shrill "chirrip" of a lark – each sound has its own purpose and is
used in very specific circumstances. For birdwatchers, learning how to ‘decode’
the secret language of birds is a great way to identify different species and
to better understand their behaviour.

The language of birds

Just as vowels and consonants
provide the foundation for our words and sentences, birds produce a series of
calls, songs and melodies in a ‘language’ so nuanced it could rival our very
own alphabet! This is all thanks to a special vocal organ called the syrinx –
the size of a pea, it sits at the junction of the trachea and the bronchi in
the lungs. Its structure – which varies with each species – makes such
different songs and sounds possible. Each sound has a different purpose and
this, in turn, makes it possible for birds to communicate with each other in
different circumstances.

The warning calls

These involve sharp and
penetrating sounds – warning signals used by birds whenever they feel
threatened and want to warn companions of danger. They are usually short sounds
strong enough to be heard at great distances. The same sound is often used by
predatory birds as part of their attack.

The cries for help

"Mom Mom Mom!" Just as
children call for their mother with arms outstretched, small birds emit little
moans and chirps to attract their mother’s attention, often flapping their
wings for good measure. The call intensity is low, but it can still be clearly
perceived in the vicinity of a nest. Small birds frequently continue to use
these calls after leaving the nest too – because mom is always mom!